Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre was opened on March 26, 1917. Designed by architectural firm Rapp & Rapp in an elaborate French Renaissance style. By 1926 it was operated by the Finkelstein & Ruben chain. They were taken over by Publix in 1929 and were later merged with Paramount Pictures Inc. It was remodeled and reopened on August 7, 1937 with Robert Young in “Married Before Breakfast”.

The historic theatre closed by Plitt Theatres as a movie theatre on April 22, 1982 with Richard Pryor in “Some Kind of Hero”. It went over to use by a church. They vacated the building in the 1990’s and the building began to deteriorate, when bricks began falling off the vacant building.

In 2002, the city took possession of the building after it was seized by Douglas County for back taxes.

Estimates to renovate the theatre to its former grandeur are between $7 million and $10 million. The city council said someone needs experience in theatre restoration, getting tax credits and a plan to operate it for them to keep it open.

There used to be a nursery downstairs complete with a merry-go-round and sand piles.

The structure was built with ornamental brick with inlaid panels and the front featured an elaborate design of white terra cotta, pillars and an ornate canopy. Mosaic tiles inlaid with the theatre’s name in scrawling script were at the entrance.

Inside, elaborate French Renaissance style relief throughout, marble stairs and floors in the massive two-story balcony were designed by noted architectural firm Rapp & Rapp (C.W. and George Rapp).

Broken plaster lies on the floor beneath a private balcony, leaving only rusted exposed mesh in front of the once-ornate box. Seats are all the stage and bird droppings are all over the stairways.

On November 1, 2006, the Palace Theatre was demolished.

Recent comments (view all 16 comments)

dalerthomas on July 6, 2006 at 7:18 am

The end of the Palace Theatre is probably coming very soon. Here is a link to the Daily Telegram Article:

<http://www.superiorwi.com/placed/index.php?sect_rank=1&story_id=221812>

Here is the first portion of the article:

Council Considers Fate of Palace
Shelley Nelson/News Editor
The Daily Telegram
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 5, 2006 02:53:04 PM

The final curtain may fall tonight for Superior’s historic Palace Theater.
The City Council will consider rejecting the sole proposal to redevelop the historic 1102 Tower Ave. vaudeville and movie house. Councilors also will consider disbanding a task force created to find a developer who would restore the theater to its former glory.
The decision could make the theater a thing of the past on the city’s landscape.

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VincentPrice on November 5, 2006 at 11:10 am

Sadly, the Palace Theater was demolished on Wednesday, November 1, 2006

PaulWolter on April 14, 2007 at 6:48 pm

Does anyone have any pictures of the building to share?

Yves Marchand on September 5, 2009 at 9:58 am

I suppose the page below has pictures taken inside the Palace Theater. Somebody could confirm this ?

http://winnipeg.urbex.ca/Michigan/day1.htm

HowardBHaas on August 8, 2011 at 11:45 am

Mural of the theater: http://douglashistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=166

Joe Vogel on May 29, 2012 at 2:21 pm

To belatedly answer Yves Marchand’s question, yes the photos on that page do depict the Palace Theatre.

Prior to the theater’s destruction, a tour of the Palace was captured on video, and it can be watched on this page at the Internet Archive. It can also be downloaded in either of two formats, and if you have problems with the video there is also a page with several thumbnail stills. Many of the interior shots are extremely dark, but the video is still worth a look. Running time is 7:22.

An announcement of the start of construction on the Palace appeared in the September 16, 1916, issue of Moving Picture World:

“New Palace at Superior, Wis.

“Duluth, Minn.—We have received from Frank N. Phelps, manager of New Grand Theater Co. of Duluth, Minn., the following communication: Contracts for construction of the Palace theater at Tower avenue and Eleventh street, Superior, Wis., by the Cook Amusement company, have been let. The amount of the contract was withheld by the amusement company incorporators, the Cook Brothers and Frank Phelps of the New Grand theater. Furnishings for the house, heating, ventilating and lighting will be contracted for later.

“Work on the theater building will begin Monday and it is hoped to have it completed by January 1. The house will be 50 x 140 feet, constructed of reinforced concrete, brick and terra cotta. It will be fireproof and will have a seating capacity of 1,200 on two floors.”

Joe Vogel on May 29, 2012 at 2:30 pm

I failed to explain in my previous comment that the page of thumbnails can be used to start the video at the point each thumbnail depicts, so you can watch any particular segment over again. Just click on it.

Yves Marchand on May 29, 2012 at 3:01 pm

Very interesting video. Thanks for sharing Joe.

50sSNIPES on November 24, 2024 at 9:50 am

Later operated by ABC Theatres and lastly by Plitt Theatres. Plitt closed the Palace on April 22, 1982 with “Some Kind Of Hero”.

rivest266 on September 23, 2025 at 4:57 pm

Grand opening ads posted. Reopened August 10th, 1937. Palace theatre reopening 07 Aug 1937, Sat The Evening Telegram (Superior, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com